Your chance to feel the pulse of innovation in America’s digital world

The next FIPP/ VDZ Digital Innovators Tour from 7-12 May 2017 will visit the dynamic media hubs of New York City and Washington D.C.

The Digital Innovators Tour is an exclusive opportunity for senior executives in publishing from around the world to meet innovative companies and business leaders in the USA – this year on the East Coast.

The companies that will be on the programme are driving digital innovation, developing new content and business models, and influencing the future of media. The Tours give unparalleled insights into new developments and access to forward thinking leaders in media and related fields, all the while creating in-group networking opportunities with peers throughout the duration.

National Geographic is a multiplatform media innovator that excels at visual storytelling. National Geographic is now National Geographic Partners, after the National Geographic Society split off its media assets into an expanded joint venture with News Corp. The CEO of National Geographic Partners will host us at their headquarters in Washington D.C. We have asked them to share their approaches to the creation, distribution and monetization of content across platforms.

Atlantic Media’s portfolio of digital, print, event, social, and mobile platforms serve an audience of over 30 million each month on topics such as politics, business, economy, foreign policy, science, technology, arts and culture. Its brands include The Atlantic and Quartz. We will be meeting with the President and have asked him to share the latest on mobile and digital efforts, where they see opportunities for revenue and growth, and how they foster innovation.

Hanley Wood is a B2B company serving the information, media, and marketing needs of the residential, commercial design and construction industry. It provides business intelligence and data-driven services, media, high-profile executive events, and strategic marketing solutions. We will be meeting with the President and have asked him to talk about Hanley Wood’s portfolio, how they serve their target audiences, and how they approach developing new services and revenue streams.

Gannett is one of the leading media companies in the U.S., with its flagship newspaper USA Today and over 100 local news organizations. We will be meeting with the Chief Strategy Officer and the Head of the Gannett Innovation Lab and have asked to hear about Gannett's digital and mobile efforts, ways it fosters innovation, and where it sees revenue and growth opportunities. We are also working to arrange a tour of the Innovation Lab that is set up to prototype and experiment with new ideas.

Deep Focus is a global, digitally led 500-person creative agency focused on building brands that connect to and draw momentum from the culture that shapes consumers’ lives. Deep Focus builds culturally connected brands with an array of leading clients including Frito-Lay, Nestlé, Purina, Alibaba, Microsoft, Samsung and Ubisoft. We will be meeting with the Chairman and CEO and have asked him to share Deep Focus’ insights into building culturally connected brands and his perspectives on global consumer, cultural and media consumption trends.

Google continues to be an important platform for media companies. We will be meeting with the Strategic Partnerships group in New York that focuses on Google products for publishers. We have asked them to discuss the latest Google’s offerings for publishers and monetization opportunities, as well as new platforms for content that Google is working on. This will also be a chance to give Google input and ask direct questions.

Facebook recently announced the launch of The Facebook Journalism Project (see https://media.fb.com/2017/01/11/facebook-journalism-project/). We will be meeting with Facebook in New York where the Journalism Project team is based and have asked them to share the latest developments that can benefit publishers.

And this is only a first glimpse at the programme! We are in discussions with more dynamic companies and interesting organisations. The tour will consist of approximately 15 meetings*

If you want to know what previous participants thought of their experience, read their testimonials here.

Don’t miss out

The upcoming tour presents an exclusive opportunity to meet face to face with entrepreneurs, founders, thought leaders and senior management from some of America’s most innovative publishers and other media-related organizations in NYC and Washington D.C.

If you would like to participate in this valuable and exclusive opportunity, please contact Anja Mumm for more information or book your place directly on our website. Please note that space on the tour is strictly limited so participants we be registered on a first come, first served basis.

If you are interested but not ready to commit yet, ask Anja Mumm to add you to the interested list and you will get priority if you decide to register later, space permitting.

Announcing the addition of several new speakers to the DIS2019 line-up. In 2019, DIS (Digital Innovators’ Summit), the annual media innovation event first established in 2007, takes place on 25-26 March in Berlin, Germany. Pre-agenda tickets with discounts worth several hundred euros are currently on sale – but for a limited period remaining.

If you are a rising star in global media or have ground-breaking media research deserving of accolades, then this is your chance with FIPP and UPM’s Rising Stars Awards and FIPP Insight Awards. Entries for the 2018 edition of both awards are now open and the new deadline is Friday 9 November.

Formerly known as the Reader's Digest Association, Trusted Media Brands is a multi-platform media company based in New York, that boasts a portfolio of high profile brands. Over the years it had developed a strong and loyal audience for its print products, yet knew it needed to innovate in digital to survive and prosper.

Meredith Corporation announced an agreement to sell the Fortune media brand for $150m cash to Fortune Media Group Holdings, wholly owned by Chatchaval Jiaravanon. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in 2018.